Being paid monthly

whistles

For those of you that have changed, how did you/ do you cope with monthly payments?

Not sure if they still plan to roll this out. My brain is eeek at being changed to monthly. 
Actually my brain goes eek at most changes!!

Sam_Alumni

Hi @whistles

There is a great article on the Money Advice Service website about budgeting for monthly payments that you might like. It also has an online budget tool that might be useful!

Nystagmite

This something that concerns me somewhat. Same with having my rent being paid to me, rather than my housing association. 

whistles

I am getting muddled changing to pip! 
But we have really supportive people here who put the letter into perspective. 

Geoark

@Nystagmite you can request for the rent element to be paid directly to your landlord, it is called a 'managed payment'. It is at the DWP discretion if they do so, but will consider it if there is genuine concern that you won't be able to manage your rent. You can find out more at https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/universal_credit_housing_costs/when_universal_credit_can_be_paid_direct_to_a_landlord

Most housing associations are aware of the problems with UC and rent. Most will have tenancy sustainment officers who can offer help and advice if you are struggling. It may be worth asking if you can talk to them before struggling though.

Landlords can request direct payments once a tenant has gone into 8 weeks of arrears. Not a move I would recommend deliberately getting into as you will lose a small part of your UC to pay the arrears, I am not sure how much.

Geoark

Budgetting can be a major problem, especially how when you get your money changes. Particularly with bank accounts once you start getting penalties it can be a quick decline in your finances.

While banking is 'free' while you are in credit when payments need to be made, credit unions can provide a low cost alternative, while reducing the penalties when something does go wrong.

One of the biggest problems is the difference of when your money goes in and when payments need to be made. Speaking to those you have to pay you may be able to rearrange when you pay. 

Some credit union accounts allow you to put your money into 'pots' so bills can be paid when due and you cannot access this money.

I know one credit union which offers a budget plus account where you can put your money into 'pots' to allow better budgetting. So you can set up pots where they will agree with you that certain moneys can be put aside for bills and you cannot touch them until they are due to be paid. You can also prioritise some payments so if enough money does not go in these will be prioritised over other payments. So your subscription to Carriage Driving magazine does not eat into your rent money. Any remaining money can then either be released to your card, or you can arrange for it to be released on a weekly basis, making budgetting and getting by much easier.

As I said these products do not come free, this particular account costs £5 per month, not for everyone but if you struggle to budget it might be worth considering. A large part of its design was with UC in mind. So it might be worth considering looking at what your local credit union/s have to offer.

whistles

I wonder how many people scored zero for the budgeting aspect but are in fact getting muddled with the complexities, therefore it should never have been a zero!
Or is getting muddled and stressed and not being able to process it the norm because the benefit system does it to people all the time?

It all needs paying monthly on the same day, surely all the this day that week is part of the mess.

Nystagmite

whistles said:

I wonder how many people scored zero for the budgeting aspect but are in fact getting muddled with the complexities, therefore it should never have been a zero!
Or is getting muddled and stressed and not being able to process it the norm because the benefit system does it to people all the time?

It all needs paying monthly on the same day, surely all the this day that week is part of the mess.

I got the impression with the budgeting question, it seemed that if you had a bank account or could go into a shop with £1 and knew you could just buy a loaf of bread; but not a loaf of bread plus some milk and butter, then you have no issues with money.

whistles

I was asked a basic question of how much change would you get if you bought this and had a £1.
A five year old could do that.

The question should be work out your money and sort out these bills. You will lose £240 a month re calculate.

I don't get UC I have seen the news from its introduction.

whistles

Just updating this as the UC is being rolled out into my area. 

I get housing benefit currently and as I tend to misread things I am reading it as I need to make a claim for UC to get my housing benefit.
That might be for new claimants as common sense suggests that those already in receipt of HB should just transfer!!!
But as with DLA and pip no that's not the case is it. 

My guess is all this hassle is meant to reduce spending and possibly fraud? Not sure if it's achieving either. 

I am just getting my head ahead around pip being less money, now this. For goodness sake, how much are we supposed to cope with. 

wilko

Many who cannot manage the monthly payments of benefits paid in arrears. May I sujest that you ask your suppliers to rearange direct debit payment date to coincide with the monthly benefit payment date as the benefits are payed so the bills are payed out.

whistles

Yes I will do.
The best description of my thinking is it feels like mashed potato- not a medical term I know.  

My housing has always been paid direct to the landlord. I don't see the need for me to have it first. 

CockneyRebel

Hi whistles

Being nosey, is your ESA contribution based or do you have an IR element ?

CR

whistles

CockneyRebel said:

Hi whistles

Being nosey, is your ESA contribution based or do you have an IR element ?

CR

Contribution based, but it's the housing benefit that effects me?

whistles

Can a benefit advisor tell me when I migrate over to UC and my housing benefit is effected, will I just carry on our will I still have to start s be claim. 
Everything in this case is done online for a UC. 
It goes live in 4 months.

CockneyRebel

If this is managed migration and nothing has changed then it is just a continuation and you will not have to make a new claim.
Only if you have a changed of circumstance ie move to a different LA will a new claim be needed

CR

whistles

Hope that's the case. I can't think properly just now.